Mississippi Harm Reduction Initiative

09/05/2026

Sponsorships now available.

https://www.the-sober-society.org/new-page

09/04/2026

September 2026 has officially been proclaimed Substance Abuse Recovery Friendly Workplace Month in Mississippi!

Mississippi Harm Reduction Initiative is encouraged to see statewide recognition of the important role employment can play in recovery. Recovery friendly workplaces help reduce stigma, create pathways to stability, and allow people to seek support without automatically fearing the loss of their livelihood.

As the language surrounding substance use continues to evolve, MHRI remains committed to using person first, nonstigmatizing language and recognizing substance use disorder as a treatable health condition, not a moral failing.

Recovery is possible, and people in recovery are valuable, capable members of Mississippi’s workforce and communities. We look forward to seeing this recognition lead to meaningful policies, informed employers, and workplaces where people are truly supported.

09/04/2026

The global review found an increase in cannabis use and cannabis-related emergency department visits, alongside potential decreases in alcohol, to***co and opioid use...
The researchers conducted a systematic review of evidence from 176 studies spanning 30 years in Canada, the United States, Europe, Uruguay and Australia...
Researchers say few studies have examined the effects of cannabis decriminalization or legalization on the use of other illicit drugs, highlighting priorities for future research...
Most studies found no change in cannabis-related health care utilization outcomes in the United States... Two studies found decreases in opioid-related hospitalizations, although no change was found in opioid-related ED visits...
EXPLORE: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1468-0009.70108

09/03/2026

Peer support is not an unpaid extra. It belongs in the care infrastructure.

On August 18, HHS announced that two peer-support interventions: Family-Based Recovery–Supported and Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP): were added to the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse and recognized as eligible for federal reimbursement by states.

That matters because lived experience is professional expertise. Peer workers build trust, help people navigate systems, support families, respond to crises, and make recovery more accessible in ways no policy can afford to overlook.

Recognition is progress. Now it must translate into real jobs, fair pay, training, supervision, and a meaningful seat at the table for peer workers and the communities they serve.

Read the HHS announcement: https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/hhs-expands-peer-support-addiction-recovery-families-foster-care.html

Where should public healthcare systems be investing in peer support right now?

09/02/2026

We are pleased to announce that we’ve been able to extend the deadline for applications through the Mississippi Opioid Settlement Fund an extra week and still make our legislative deadlines! If your organization is planning to apply for funding, please note that the deadline has been extended to October 12, 2026. Together, we are helping our State heal from the opioid crisis.

09/02/2026

Long-term Recovery resources and Peer Support serving Hancock and surrounding counties!

INTRODUCING PS-CARE: The Sober Society's comprehensive, evidence-informed recovery support service model designed to deliver timely, person-centered recovery services wherever individuals need them most.
Built on the principles of lived experience, recovery capital, trauma-informed care, and community integration, PS-CARE provides non-clinical peer support that expands a person’s pathways beyond institutional crisis stabilization and also compliments clinical pathways a person may choose.
Want to know more? Give us a call at 228-BE-SOBER or email [email protected]

09/02/2026

💜💜💜

We’re excited to announce the launch of our Family Support Services program, a new statewide resource for Mississippi families affected by opioid use disorder.

The program combines practical skills training, peer support, and resources to help parents and other loved ones navigate the challenges of addiction.

👉Learn more: https://enditforgood.com/families-news/press-release/

08/31/2026

Today is International Overdose Awareness Day: If you’ve lost someone to overdose, share their name below.
Tell us something about them. Tell us what made them laugh, what they loved, what drove you crazy about them, whatever you want people to know.
They were more than the way they died.
And they are why we keep showing up.
You can also honor them with a Tribute on the online Memorial Wall at https://www.overdoseday.com/tributes/
Today we remember them. Tomorrow, we keep doing the work. 💜